DP slams military for not confirming N.K.'s claim Seoul sent drones over Pyongyang

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DP slams military for not confirming N.K.'s claim Seoul sent drones over Pyongyang

Published: 13 Oct. 2024, 02:38 Updated: 13 Oct. 2024, 02:43

An image of what North Korea claims is South Korea’s unmanned aerial vehicle, left, and flyers, right, released by North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency Friday. [YONHAP]

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Saturday criticized the military for saying it cannot confirm North Korea's claim that South Korea had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang.

During a press briefing at the National Assembly, DP spokesperson Han Min-soo pointed to the government's vague response to the North's accusation, calling it an "irresponsible" act that "disrespects the public."

"The Yoon Suk Yeol government should not leave the people vulnerable to North Korea's provocative threats," he said. "It needs to keep in mind that the only way to alleviate public anxiety is by informing of the situation accurately and disclosing its response to the public."

On Friday, North Korea claimed the South had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times since last week, prompting it to float trash balloons toward Seoul, which marked the 28th incident of its kind since May.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun initially denied the accusation during a parliamentary audit, saying the South did not send a drone to the North and that he is "not aware" of the situation.

However, he later told lawmakers that he "cannot confirm the truth behind such claims" after briefly leaving the audit session. The Joint Chiefs of Staff also neither confirmed nor denied the claim in a text message sent to reporters.

In response to the North's balloon launches, the South's military has been blasting daily anti-North Korean propaganda broadcasts through loudspeakers along the border since July. It has refrained from directly shooting down the balloons, citing safety concerns.

Yonhap